Prefabricated building

ABSTRACT

A PREFABRICATED, MODULAR, BOX-SHAPED HALF SEGMENT IN THE FORM OF A RECTANGULAR PARALLELEPIPED IS PROVIDED WHICH HAS AS BASIC ELEMENTS A FLOOR, A SINGLE SIDE WALL, TWO END WALLS AND A ROOF, THESE ELEMENTS BEING RIGIDLY FIXED IN POSITION BY A PAIR OF SPACED EXTERNAL C-FRAME MEMBERS WHICH ARE TRANSVERSELY CONNECTED TO THE FLOOR, WALL, AND ROOF. BY CONNECTING TWO HALF SEGMENTS TOGETHER THROUGH THEIR RESPECTIVE C-FRAME MEMBERS, AN ENCLOSED UNIT IS PRODUCED. THE FOUR VERTICAL LEGS OF THE C-FRAMES OF EACH UNIT DEFINE THE CORNERS OF UPPER AND LOWER HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SQUARES, THE BASIC OF A SQUARE GRID SYSTEM WHICH ENABLES VERTICAL STACKING OF UNITS WITH A CHOICE OF THE FOUR QUADRANT ATTITUDES FOR ALIGNMENT OF THE UNITS IN THE GRID SYSTEM.   THE WEIGHT OF EACH UNIT IS CARRIED BY THE C-FRAME MEMBER SYSTEM WITH THE SIDE WALLS SERVING AS A STRENGTHENING BEAN. VARIOUS CANTILEVER ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE PROVIDED.

Oct. 5, 1971 R. 5. BROWN E-TAL 3,609,929

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1969 INVENTORS RUSSELL B. BROWN RONALD M. WOOD BY ROBERT J. FARREN [U Ii;

ATTORNEYS R. 8. BROWN ETA!- PREFABRICATED BUILDING Oct. 5, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet I Filed July 25. 1969 FIG. 1C

FIG. 7A

Oct. 5, 1971 R, BROWN EI'AL PREFABRIOATED BUILDING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 25, 1969 H6. IOA

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,609,929 PREFABRICATED BUILDING Russell B. Brown and Ronald M. Wood, Newport, R.I., and Robert J. Farren, Hicksville, N.Y.; said Brown and said Wood assignors to Robert J. Kerr II, Newport, R.I., and George L. Rogers, Wilton, Maine, fractional part interest to each Filed July 25, 1969, Ser. No. 844,937 Int. Cl. E04h 1/04 U.S. Cl. 52236 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A prefabricated, modular, box-shaped half segment in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped is provided which has as basic elements a floor, a single side wall, two end walls and a roof, these elements being rigidly fixed in position by a pair of spaced external C-frame members which are transversely connected to the floor, side wall, and roof. By connecting two half segments together through their respective C-frame members, an enclosed unit is produced. The four vertical legs of the C-frames of each unit define the corners of upper and lower horizontally disposed squares, the basic of a square grid system which enables vertical stacking of unitswith a choice of the four quadrant attitudes for alignment of the units in the grid system.

The weight of each unit is carried by the C-frame member system with the side walls serving as a strengthening beam. Various cantilever arrangements can be provided.

Our invention relates to the construction of a standardized longitudinal half segment and the combinations thereof which enable the construction of an enclosed living unit and a multi-storied building having many orientation attitudes. The basic enclosed unit and the other units have a skin-type fabrication with the longitudinal side walls acting as beams. The entire weight of each half segment and therefore each enclosed unit is transferred through the monocoque skin-type structure and especially the type side wall to the C-frame members to the foundation. Suitable structural design enables the standard basic unit to be converted into a cantilevered unit allowing many different spacial orientations of the units.

As known in this field, each half segment and, therefore, each unit can be fully designed and equipped with complete living facilities, even including certain furniture components and umbilical conduits for required service. Specifically important is the independence of each enclosed unit; its weight is supported through the C-frame member structure. It is recognized that the airspace between enclosed units can be utilized for insulation.

The manufacture of prefabricated buildings has presently been developed to a significant plateau. This invention is specifically identified with the factory type construction of a segment which can be hauled over available highways to a site and there developed into a significant addition to the community. Length and width of the segments are regulated by law. This in the past has resulted in rather drab and unsalable housing units.

Through the unique utilization of external transverse C-frame members which suspend the roof, support the floor and add to the rigidifying effect of the side wall which acts as a beam, the basic structural problems and economies of factory prefabrication of the outer shell are overcome.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a half segment with the end wall removed for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mating segment for the segment of FIG. 1 showing the segment mounted on a trailer;

FIG. 3 is a view showing two half segments being moved transversely into connected position, end walls again being removed for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing the placement of the C-frarne members longitudinally of the basic unit for defining the square grid system;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a cantilever unit;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a double cantilever unit of two half segments of the type shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7A is a side perspective view of a vertical stacking of two basic units;

FIG. 7B shows a vertical stacking of two cantilevered units;

FIG. 7C shows a vertical stacking of the double cantilevered unit of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8A shows a vertical stacking of the basic units utilizing the four quadrants of the square grid system;

FIG. 8B is a vertical stacking of the cantilever units utilizing two quadrants;

FIG. 8C is a vertical stacking of the double cantilevered units utilizing four quadrants;

FIG. 9 is a side-by-side vertical stacking of four cantilevered units;

FIG. 10 is a vertical stacking of the basic units and the cantilevered units; and

FIG. 10A is a top plan view of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen in FIGS. 1-3 that a basic unit for a building having stories which can be erected on a foundation involves an enclosed unit 20 shown in the process of assembly in FIG. 3 with each unit having two half segments 22 and 24, each half being of the type shown in FIG. 1 as including a floor 26, a side wall 28, two end walls 30, 30 (FIG. 7A), and a roof 32.

Each half segment 22 and 24 has two C-frame members 50 and 52 which have bottom horizontal legs 40, side vertical legs 42 and top horizontal legs 44, these supporting the floor 26 beam side wall 28 and roof 32 respectively. A brace 34 is shown for transportation assistance.

Connection means 36 for the C-frame members is provided as seen in FIG. 2. The terminal ends of the C- frame members is provided as seen in FIG. 2. The terminal ends of the C-frame members are designed for connection to each other, this connection preferably being a predetermined tension type joint with a weather seal interposed between the half segments.

Suitable reinforcing members 60 can be added for transportation and or installation as desired. It is understood that the width of these half units will be about 12 feet and their length can be about 60 feet, depending on highway regulations. Normal double wall construction with bracing can be utilized, this not being shown in the drawings. Such normal wall construction produces a side Wall 28 which acts as a beam and interconnects with the C-frame members to transmit load to the foundation.

The bolted end means 30 of the C-frame members of FIG. 2 is the connection means 30 for the C-frames.

The four connected C-frames 50 and 52 of each unit 20 define the corners of upper and lower horizontally dis posed squares. These squares are the basis of a square grid system which enables vertical stacking of units with the choice of the four available quadrants. The placement of the C-frame members identifies the balanced basic unit of FIGS. 1-4, the cantilevered unit of FIGS. 5, 7B, 8B, 9, 10 and 10A, and the double cantilevered unit of FIGS. 6,

7C and 8C. As will be seen in the drawings, various stacking arrangements can be employed to develop a cluster of most attractive dwellings. The cantilever units could be supported at their outer ends and porches added as desired.

We claim: 1. A building having stories for erection on a foundation comprising:v

more than one enclosed unit, each unit having two half segments, each half segment being in the form a longitudinally extending rectangular parallelepiped including as basic elements a floor, a single side wall, two end Walls and a roof, and a pair of C-frame members transversely positioned externally of said floor, side wall, and roof and connected thereto, each C-frame member having a bottom horizontal leg supporting said floor, a side vertical leg supporting said side wall, and a top horizontal leg supporting said roof, connecting means for connecting the ends of the respective C-frames of the two half segments together to form said one enclosed unit, the four C-frames of each enclosed unit being predeterminedly positioned so that the top ends and bottom ends of their vertical legs define the corners of upper and lower horizontally disposed squares respectively which are the basis of a square grid system enabling the vertical stacking of enclosed units in any one of four quadrant attitudes with the weight of the units being transferred to the foundation solely through the C-frames, vertically superimposed adjacent units being stacked with their vertical legs of their respective C-frames vertically aligned.

2. A building having stories for erection on a foundation as defined in claim 1- and wherein eachhalf segment has a transverse width conforming to highway width requirement to enable highway shipment.

3. A building having stories for erection on a foundation as defined in claim 1 wherein each C-frame member is mounted at a predetermined postion toward the longitudinal center of its segment.

4. A building having stories for erection on a foundation as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said C-frame members is mounted at the end portion of its segment and the other is mounted at a portion about one-third the longitudinal length of the segment from the first C-frame member to produce a cantilevered portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Y 1,156,693 10/1915 Koger 5279X 2,154,142 4/1939 Whelan 52 79 2,544,496 3/1951 Gass 52236 x 3,331,170 7/1967 Lowe et al. 52 79 x 3,438,157 4/1969 La Monica 52 79 x 3,455,075 7/1969 Frey 52 79 x 3,501,875 3/1970 D6 Mailly 52 79 -x FOREIGN PATENTS 953,154 3/1964 Great Britain 52 79 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner S. D. BURKE III, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52-79 

